CBP's Trade Symposium falls victim to government shutdown

U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Tuesday it has postponed its annual Trade Symposium, scheduled to take place Oct. 24-25 in Washington, because of the two-week long government shutdown.
In a statement issued on its Website, the agency said the lack of congressional appropriations forced it to furlough personnel and made it difficult to finalize preparations for the popular event.
More than 700 trade professionals attend the event each year to learn about CBP's upcoming plans and progress in processing cargo more efficiently.
CBP said it remained committed to hosting the event at a later date.
Registrants will have their money refunded once the partial government shutdown is over.
"We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience that this postponement has caused you. We look forward to your participation once this event is rescheduled," the agency said.
Last year's symposium was delayed more than a month due to Super Storm Sandy which lashed the East Coast.